Alleged affair partner faces backlash after appearing on dating show ‘Match to Marry’

A woman alleged to have been involved in an extramarital affair that led to the breakdown of a family is facing public backlash after it was revealed she appeared on the dating reality program 'Match to Marry.'

On January 20, JTBC’s current affairs program 'Crime Chief' aired a tip-off concerning a woman who allegedly participated in a romance variety show after being involved in an affair that resulted in a divorce.

The tipster, a woman in her 40s who said she divorced four years ago due to her husband’s infidelity, stated, “I was deeply shocked when I saw my ex-husband’s affair partner appear on a dating reality show.” According to her account, she filed for divorce in 2022 following her husband’s affair and pursued a combined lawsuit for divorce and damages against the third party. She said she ultimately won the lawsuit against the alleged affair partner.

The tipster explained that she had been a full-time homemaker and that marital conflict intensified after she and her husband began living apart following a move. “We moved into a smaller place, and suddenly my husband said he couldn’t live like this anymore and left home, saying it was my fault,” she claimed. She later received divorce papers from him.

She then learned through an acquaintance that her husband had been seen holding hands and walking arm-in-arm with another woman at night. That woman was later identified as an employee at the business her husband operated. It was also confirmed that the two had taken multiple overseas trips together.

Attorney Yang Ji Yeol, who appeared on the program, explained, “The informant proceeded with both the divorce and the damages lawsuit simultaneously. The husband initially filed for divorce, and she countersued.” He added, “According to the court ruling, responsibility for the marital breakdown lay with the husband. After the woman joined the company in 2016, the relationship developed into an illicit affair, including overseas travel, and the court found both the husband and the other woman responsible for the collapse of the marriage.”

The court ordered the husband and the alleged affair partner to jointly pay 30 million KRW (about 20,300 USD) in damages. However, the tipster said she has yet to receive any compensation, and the division of marital assets has not been finalized.

“I thought I had moved on after the divorce, but I think the trauma still lingers,” she said. “When I think about it, my heart starts racing and I feel very anxious. I already felt devastated living apart from my children due to financial circumstances after the divorce, but what hurts the most is seeing the person who broke up my family appear on ‘Match to Marry' as if nothing happened, hiding her past and openly looking for a new partner.”

In response, the woman identified as the alleged affair partner denied the claims through the 'Crime Chief' production team, stating, “This has nothing to do with me, and I have never received any court ruling. If baseless allegations continue, I will take legal action.”

The production team of the dating show also released a statement, saying, “Our cast contracts include clauses requiring participants to guarantee that they have not been involved in past social controversies such as crimes, affairs, or school violence, with penalty provisions for violations. Despite these measures, incidents like this can still occur.” They added, “We have repeatedly requested clarification from the participant in question but have not received clear answers. Regardless of the outcome of fact-checking, we plan to minimize her screen time in the remaining episodes and are reviewing the possibility of filing a damages lawsuit.”